Thermal imaging drones could definitely be promising for moisture detection, especially if the buildup is significant enough to cause temperature variations. Still, from what I've seen, even thermal imaging has limitations—like distinguishing between actual moisture and areas of poor insulation. When I bought my first home, the inspector used a thermal camera indoors, and it did catch some hidden leaks behind drywall. So yeah, it might bridge that gap somewhat...but probably best as part of a broader inspection approach rather than a standalone solution.
Thermal imaging drones are handy, but you're right—they're not foolproof. Had a job last year where the drone flagged what looked like moisture buildup on a flat roof. Turned out it was just uneven insulation causing temperature differences. Still, it did help narrow down areas to check more closely. Like you said, they're best as part of a bigger toolkit rather than relying on them alone. Saved me some ladder time at least...
Had a similar experience myself recently. Drone picked up what looked like a major leak on a client's roof—turned out to be just some shady spots from nearby trees cooling certain areas differently. Still, it pointed me in the right direction and saved me from crawling all over the place blindly. They're definitely handy tools, but I always trust my eyes and hands-on checks first. Tech is great, but nothing beats good old-fashioned inspection skills...
"Tech is great, but nothing beats good old-fashioned inspection skills..."
Couldn't agree more with this. Had a drone inspection done on my own roof last year, and it flagged a spot as potential water damage. Got me all worried, thinking I'd have to shell out big bucks for repairs. Climbed up there myself (carefully, of course!) and turns out it was just some moss buildup causing weird shadows. Drones are awesome for quick overviews and spotting trouble areas, but like you said, nothing replaces actually getting up close and checking things out by hand. Glad your situation turned out to be nothing major—always a relief when the problem ends up being simpler than expected.
Yeah, drones can definitely overreact sometimes. Had a similar thing happen with my gutters—inspection flagged them as "severely clogged," but when I climbed up, it was just a couple leaves and twigs. Took me like 10 minutes tops to clear it out. Still, better safe than sorry, I guess. Curious though, anyone had the opposite happen—where tech missed something important that you caught yourself later?
